Best of Gay L.A Nightlife: "Post Gay" Bar (2008)

The nightlife scene in West Hollywood has always been a curious one. On the Sunset Strip, straight boys and gals hit the rock clubs and places like The Standard, while only a few blocks south, all along Santa Monica Boulevard, gays and lesbians party down at same-sex bars and nightclubs. The two really never meet, but in this "post gay" world, where younger clubgoers are more accepting of others' sexual orientation — at least in a city like L.A. — it was only a matter of time that segregation would come to end. At Saint Felix, an East Village–type lounge with the vibe of a neighborhood bar, it most definitely has. Gay guys pop into Saint Felix for a beer or a cocktail, and straight rockers and their girlfriends, heading from or to the Troubadour, un-self-consciously join them. No big deal, no fuss. Opened by co-owners John Arakaki, Jay Krymis and Christian Leibfried in early June, the lounge also serves excellent gastro pub food deep into the night — the Cubano tacos and Kobe sliders are especially good. So far, it's something of a secret among cool gays and straights, but anyone's welcome to join the post gay fun.